The present invention relates to an antler herb medicine fermented with a chicken gizzard membrane, which is high in uptake rate in the body. Also, the present invention is concerned with a method for preparing such an antler medicine.
Antler (in Latin, Cervi parvum cornu) is defined as xe2x80x9cthe branched deciduous horn of any animal of the deer familyxe2x80x9d (Webster International Dictionary). The term xe2x80x98antlerxe2x80x99 comes from the Latin xe2x80x98anteoculaexe2x80x99, meaning xe2x80x9cin front of the eyesxe2x80x9d. Antlers are appendages of the skull, composed of a solid bony core and supported on skin covered pedicles (protuberance of the frontal bone) which are permanent tissues. While the antler is growing or regenerating, it is covered by a skin with a dense covering of fine hair that leads to the term xe2x80x9cvelvet antlerxe2x80x9d which can be applied to the growing tissue. After growth is finished, the velvet peels off to be known as xe2x80x9chard antlerxe2x80x9d.
The formation of primary antlers is initiated after pedicle development from the periosteum of the frontal bone. Antler growth occurs at the tip containing reserve mesenchyme which can be proliferated and differentiated into chondroblasts and chondrocytes responsible for the formation of cartilage, followed by maturation, hypertrophy and calcification. The growth of antler for approximately 4 months is suspended with the increase of massive mineralization of the bone, followed by shedding the velvet skin. The hard antlers are retained during rutting season and the winter period until the time of casting. Mature antlers are composed of dead bone, comprising a thick outer layer of compact bone surrounding a central core of cancellous bone. Antler growth is depending on the photoperiod of the season. For example, wapiti grow antlers in spring and they harden in autumn. Retaining hard antlers through winter, hard antlers are cast in spring. These antlers are called xe2x80x9ccast antlersxe2x80x9d.
In Oriental classification, animals for the traditional use of antlers are limited only to sika deer (Cervus nippon), red deer (Cervus elaphus), and Elk (Cervus canadensis).
Velvet antler has been used for thousands of years in the Orient as one of the best hematic and tonic agents in herbal medicine. Clinical observations from the Eastern world convincingly show that deer antler contains active components which influence body metabolism, protect and restore damaged organ tissue, promote immune and phagocyte functions (anti-inflammation, anti-arthritis, anti-stress), and slow the aging process. For example, according to an ancient medical document of Korea, antlers are disclosed to have energy restoration, a blood nourishing action, pain alleviation, hemopoiesis, growth promotion, heart failure remediation, and hyperfunction. In addition, it has been known to be efficacious in relieving fatigue, strengthening vitality, and promoting urination.
At present, such pharmacological efficacies of antler are now being verified. Recent animal tests and clinical tests also have shown that velvet antlers have effects of growth and development promotion in young children, senescence inhibition, erythropoiesis, heart function improvement, restoration from muscular fatigue, and pain alleviation. Particularly, velvet antlers are reported to show extensive immunological activities, including reduction of the side effects of anti-cancer agents, such as MMC and CDDP, immunopotentiation, and stress resistance.
Many attempts have been made to uncover the curious chemical make-up of antler. As a result, it is found to contain various vitals: aqueous components, such as amino acids, polypeptides, mucoproteins, and mucopolysaccharides; lipids, such as phospholipids, fatty acids, neutral fats, glycerolipids, and gangliosides; and minerals, such as calcium, magnesium, phosphorous, sodium, potassium, etc. Many of the proteins in antlers are collagen which compose cartilage tissues. Examples of the mucopolysaccarides found in antlers include hyaluronic acids and chondroitin sulfate A.
Traditional dosage forms of antlers are exemplified by decoctions and powders. Their modern forms comprise granules, tablets, pills, capsules, etc. For decoctions, antlers are boiled down alone or in combination with other herb medicines. Antler powders are prepared by drying and grinding antlers. Pharmaceutically effective components of antlers may be extracted by alcohol.
References directed to a method of preparing antler medicines can be found in many patents.
Korean Pat. Publication No. 92-1557 discloses a preparation method of antler powders, in which horns cut from sika deers are frozen at xe2x88x9270xc2x0 C., allowed to undergo stepwise refrigeration, dried in a freeze-drier, and pulverized. Korean Pat. Publication No. 94-2011 discloses an antler extract solution in 5% or less alcohol, which is prepared in such a manner that thinly cut antler pieces are immersed in diluted alcohol and the solution is concentrated under a reduced pressure, followed by inclusion of effective ingredients with cyclodextrin. In Korean Pat. Publication No. 95-10775, there is described a method for preparing an antler extract, in which antler pieces are heated at a particular temperature under pressure, subjected to sonication, filtered, and concentrated to give extracts rich in hypoxantines and gangliosides.
The pills or powders which are prepared from antlers as they are, suffer from a significant disadvantage of being low in uptake rate into the body. That is, even though they are administered, their efficacious components are not taken in the body, but excreted from the body. Extraction methods of antlers are focused on the extraction of particular components, so that all of the various components of antler are difficult to extract equally. Accordingly, the extraction methods are not recommended in traditional herb medical science because the characteristic pharmaceutical efficacy of antler, which is achieved by the interaction of entire components in balance and harmony, cannot be obtained.
Hard antlers before casting, which results from the peeling off of the velvet skin of deers, are not well used as herb medicine preparations partially because they are insufficient in efficacious components, but largely because hard antlers, made osteoid, are very low in uptake rate. Accordingly, a method of improving the uptake of hard antlers in the body allows them to be converted into a useful herb medicine.